Channa Daswatte: A Walk Through Time & Style

Walk through the Galle Fort with well-known architect Channa Daswatte, to look at the stylistic variety of Sri Lankan architecture from the 17th to the 20th Century. The Galle Fort, for various historical and social reasons, has managed to preserve an extraordinary range of architecture that represents most of the architectural styles of the last half of the millennium. The walk will follow a series of landmark buildings that embody the stylistic features of the various periods in Sri Lankan architectural history from Baroque, Classical, Gothic, Victorian, Edwardian, Indigenous Decorative, Art Deco, Mid-century Modern and the 20th Century eclectic styles.

EVENT TICKET: Rs. 3,000 – Sold Out

9:30 am – 10:30 am

Nirupama Rao and David Dabydeen: Ambassadors & Ministers Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary to China.

David Dabydeen was the first Ambassador of Guyana to China. Nirupama Rao, former Foreign Secretary of India, was Ambassador of India to China. In this wide-ranging panel discussion, these three diplomats who are also prolific writers, will share with us their reflections on China’s changing role in the international political and economic landscape and on what this might mean for the future of their own countries and of ours.

(Nirupama’s participation in the Festival is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Amari Galle.)

(David Dabydeen’s participation in the Festival is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Unilever Foods.)

The Fairway Galle Literary Festival, for the second year, has an entire day of Sinhala programming that brings together some of the most thought-provoking and creative poets, short story writers, novelists and critics for discussion, debate and readings.

10:00 am – 11:00 am

Shrabani Basu & Gananath Obeysekera: Uneasy Lies The Head That Wears The Crown

Two writers, one a historian and the other an anthropologist, will discuss the research that led to works reappraising the final years in the reign of two monarchs who played a seminal role in the histories not only of their own nations, but in the international arena of their times. Sharabani presents history with a writer’s sense of drama; Gananath obtained a first in English before pursuing anthropology. The historical research of each author is, perhaps as a result, delivered to us with a writer’s flair and eye for passion.

Katharine Norbury: Writing about Landscape

Part travel writing, part natural history, writing about landscape requires special skills of observation and connection with the land. In this special and unusual workshop, Katharine Norbury will share her experiences travelling, recording and connecting with the natural environment and share her views on the ways this experience may inform a writer’s craft.

(Katharine Norbury’s participation in the Festival is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Sri Lanka Tourism and Promotions Bureau.)

Emily Dobbs: Hoppers of Druid Street Market, London

Chef Emily Dobbs shares her favourite Sri Lankan-inspired recipes for every meal and season, including breakfast, short eats, and a selection of curries and their accompaniments. You’ll also find traditional and original puddings to finish off your meal and tips on how to make your own curry using typical Sri Lankan ingredients.

(Emily Dobbs’participation in the Festival is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Amari Galle.)

EVENT TICKET: Rs. 7,000 – Sold Out

11:00 am – 12:00 noon

The Lord David Puttnam: Climate Change – A View From The Future

Lord Puttnam looks at the environmental challenges – as well as the political and economic interests – which threaten the world for our children and grandchildren. How will future generations view the level of responsibility we’re currently showing for the future of our planet?

Nisid Hajari: A Private Affair

Join author and international journalist Nisid Hajari to discuss Midnight’s Furies – his award-winning account of the 1947 Partition of India and its impact on South Asia today – as well as the broader forces that are reshaping modern Asia, from a rising China to Donald Trump.

The expectations of the state, society and family can influence and control aspirations of youth regardless of their social background.

These young short filmmakers are exploring the issues related to growing up in in post-war Sri Lanka. These short films are expressions of how the state, law and order as well as people – as individuals and as communities – take control of the youth.

In this session, Louis de Bernières will speak to us about the music of language and the integral role music had played in his writing career. He will talk about his interests and output both of poetry and prose, and about the significance of his newest poetry being available only in audio form. We hope he may be prevailed upon to play his mandolin, as well!

EVENT TICKET: Rs. 1,000 – CANCELLED due to author having fallen ill.

Ticket refunds will be issued back to event ticket holders by MyDeal.lk.

We all have a story to tell, and our stories matter. Stories give us the chance to be heard, help us find out who we really are, and keep us company at night. Stories connect us to others; and perhaps stories help the world become whole.

Some of us know exactly what we want to write and many of us do not, but still feel we have something to say. There is a tale waiting deep inside, one that just needs the right space to encourage the words to find their way onto the page. Here in this workshop there are no grades, no exams, no wrong way to write. In fact you don’t have to know anything at all to start writing, just a willingness to begin. This is writing without restrictions, a thrilling and sometimes life-changing experience.

By the end of the workshop, you will have begun at least one story, and you will leave knowing how to continue.

No formal writing experience necessary.

“When a man talks from his heart, in his moment of truth, he speaks poetry.” – Ray Bradbury

In this session, two very fine Sri Lankan writers will discuss with Sallyanne Atkinson, who grew up in Sri Lanka, the influences of their own lives and upbringing on their works. Charulatha Abeysekera’s novel Stories won this year’s Gratiaen Award; Chimmi The session will explore the extent to which place and origins impact on the genesis of a writer’s creative output.

Charulatha’s novel Stories won this year’s Gratiaen Award; Chimmi’s three works of fiction have enjoyed widespread acclaim.

Four writers whose work has been translated from the medium of the word to that of the film, share their experiences of seeing their creations – or the subjects of their research – taking flesh and blood form and appearing on screen. The competing claims of feature film and television series will also be explored in this discussion of the hazards and triumphs of the process of translating the written word into motion picture format. The session will be moderated by Ashok Ferrey, who will bring his rich experience of the film industry and of writing, to bear on the discussion.

Amit Chaudhuri: Friend of My Youth

Form has preoccupied Amit Chaudhuri throughout his writing career. Near the end of his seventh and most recent novel, Friend of My Youth, the narrator, who is also named Amit Chaudhuri, reflects on a book he is writing, which may also be the book we are reading. “The book is a novel,” he thinks; “I’m pretty sure of that. What marks it out as a novel is this: the author and the narrator are not one. Even if, by coincidence, they share the same name. The narrator’s views, thoughts, observations – essentially, the narrator’s life – are his or her own. The narrator might be created by the author, but is a mystery to him. The provenance of his or her remarks and actions is never plain.”

In this session, Amit Chaudhuri will reflect on the role form has played in his ouevre, from his stunning first novel A Strange and Sublime Address, with its narrator whose life so clearly shares elements of Chaudhuri’s and yet also has his own clearly delineated, independent fictional existence, to his most recent publication with its nod in the direction of auto-fiction.

‘When Kingsley Amis read Martin Amis’s 1984 novel Money he was so outraged when a character called Martin Amis appeared in the story that, allegedly, he threw his son’s masterpiece across the room. True or not, it demonstrates the disdain some readers have for writers who cause havoc with the novel form. Those readers might want to avoid Amit Chaudhuri’s fiercely intelligent new novel, Friend of My Youth. If they do, more fool them…. There is, of course, a light humour to this. But there is also a profundity… Friend of My Youth becomes a novel that also undermines itself, asking us: when does a novel cease to be a novel? Chaudhuri manages to combine this essayistic line of enquiry whilst remaining true to the spirit of the form and his imagination. That is an impressive achievement. Some might want to throw metafiction like this across the room, towards the bin. The only place I will be throwing this book is into the hands of other readers.’ Nick Major, Scottish Herald

Enjoy a cup of tea while listening to two very fine poets who write very movingly of the ‘other’, read from and discuss their work. Afternoon Tea will be provided by the generous sponsorship of Lipton, with refreshments provided by celebrated Chef Charles Disa.

(Charles Disa’s participation in the Festival is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Unilever Foods.)

From 270BC to 233BC, Ashoka ruled every part of the subcontinent except for India’s southernmost tip, an empire larger than that of any Indian ruler before or since; his influence spilled even further abroad, into Sri Lanka and past the furthest border of present-day Afghanistan. He shepherded the rise of one of the world’s major religions, and in a remarkable U-turn, he transformed himself from a callous conqueror into an intelligent and pacific ruler. Yet, as Charles Allen’s Ashoka shows, the details of his life had to be prised out from the crevice of the past, in a process that revealed as much about the emperor as about the caprices of Indian history. (Samanth Subramanian).

In this panel, Bruce Wannell, traveller, translator and scholar – author of a travel guide to Iran will take us on a journey through country, sharing with us the many tales arising from his wanderings in this country he has come to know so well.

(Bruce Wannell’sparticipation in the Festival is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Sri Lanka Tourism and Promotions Bureau.)

During a career spanning over thirty years in the field of law, Justice Shiranee Tilakawardane has garnered a reputation for her dedication to human rights and the rule of law whilst scoring many firsts as a female in the Sri Lankan legal system. Her passion and pursuit of equality and justice are reflected in her extensive efforts in gender education, child rights and environmental law in both local and international contexts.

Join her in an exploration of the complexities of the administration of the law and especially the criminal law, as she embarks upon an examination of three gripping murder trials in Sri Lanka. The absorbing narrative will transport the audience into the world of criminal investigation where they will discover the challenges faced by investigators. The audience will develop a greater appreciation of the intricacies of forensic evidence such as DNA, and fingerprint analysis and will be led acknowledge the importance of the skill of investigators which has the potential to change the course of an investigation.

Siddharth Dasgupta: Narrative Journeys and the Inevitability of Space

Traversing both poetry and fiction, this session will centre its attentions and passions on the writing process: words, books, and authors who have often seen space, distance, time, and love through a convergent prism.

EVENT TICKET: Rs. 1,000

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Carlos Andrés Gómez: From New York City to Galle – A Night of Poetry & Performance

Carlos Andrés Gómez will perform his poetry and share stories from his journey as an artist, including his work to promote healthy masculinity and the experiences that led him to write his acclaimed memoir that was published by Penguin Random House, ‘Man Up: Reimagining Modern Manhood’.

(Carlos Andrés Gómez’s travel is made possible by the Jerome Foundation. His presence at the Festival is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Amari Galle.)

EVENT TICKET: Rs. 1,000 – Sold Out

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Laurence Boissier: The Spoken Word – Language and Dialect in Poetry

In this fascinating session, Laurence Boissier will share with us her innovative spoken word poetry and the way in which dialect and received language patterns are used in tandem to effect the performance poetry for which she has become so well known.

(Laurence Boissier’s travel to and presence at the Festival is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council and the Embassy of Switzerland to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.)

EVENT TICKET: Rs. 1,000 – SOLD OUT

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Graham Merricks: The Colombo Gin Club

Event: Gin Tasting

Participant:Graham Merricks

Location: Fort Printers, Galle Fort

Date: Saturday, Jan 27th, 2018

Duration: 1:00 hrs

Access: Event Ticket Only

Availability:SOLD OUT

The Colombo Gin Club makes its way to the Fairway Galle Literary Festival 2018! Join veteran gin enthusiast Graham Merricks from Wine World as he explores 4 absolutely lip smacking gins.

(Graham Merricks’ participation at the festival is courtesy of Wine World.)

EVENT TICKET: Rs. 3,500 – Sold Out

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Cultural Show

Event: Cultural Performance

Participant:Performers of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces

Location: Law Court Square, Galle Fort

Date: Saturday, Jan 27th, 2018

Duration: 1:00 hrs

Access: FREE EVENT

Availability: N/A

This special cultural presentation includes three elements: a March Past, an Angampora Performance, and a Sound and Light Show.

The Presentation will begin with the Tri-Forces’ Marching Bands entering the Law Court Square from the Galle Fort Entrance; playing of the Sri Lankan National Anthem will follow. A narrative Angampora performance is next; this exciting part of the programme involves weapons and fire and is presented by the Air Force Angampora team. Finally, a history of the Galle Fort will be presented by means of video mapping onto the outer walls of the outer façade of the Law Courts Building. This Sound and Light Show will take us back to the time of the Portuguese, Dutch and British occupancies and also reflect on the ravages of the tsunami.

A String Quintet of principals from the Chamber Music Society of Colombo led by its artistic director and concertmaster, Lakshman Joseph-de Saram, will present the Sri Lankan premieres of contemporary Russian composer Vladimir Martynov’s “Schubert-Quintet (Unfinished)” and “The Beatitudes.” The mystical post-minimalist sounding music of Martynov will be interspersed with words from John Milton’s “Paradise Lost,” which will be recited by Ohan Hominis of Stageless Arts, NYC.

(This performance by The Chamber Music Society of Colombo is made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Festival title sponsor Fairway Holdings Ltd.)

The Lord David Puttnam: A Literary Dinner

This dinner with The Lord Puttnam will include excerpts from ‘Chariots of Fire’ and an opportunity to ask questions of the celebrated film producer. The dinner will commence with a reading from Michael Kumpfmüller’s The Glory of Life.

(The Lord Puttnam’spresence at the Festival is made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Festival title sponsor Fairway Holdings Ltd.)

Dillie Keane and Chirkutt – Mayhem Past Midnight

his delightful performance will includes work from Dillie’s earliest days to her most recent songs. A hilarious, frequently ridiculous and occasionally heartbreaking account of a lifelong search for love, Dillie’s songs will make you laugh, cry and ring your best friend tomorrow for a chat.

Her songs are witty and original; they are characterised by intricate rhymes, charming tunes and the odd word or phrase that would make a sailor suck a lemon. She has been compared to Tom Lehrer, Noel Coward and Cole Porter and people usually say they feel a great deal better about life after a tonic of Finest Vintage Dillie.

Accompanist: Michael Roulston

Bangladeshi band Chirkutt will also perform well into the early hours of the morning . . .

(Chirkutt is brought to the Festival courtesy of the High Commission for Bangladesh.)